By Dawn Hatfield
DailyAdvocate.com
ARCANUM — The Village of Arcanum received exciting news when Vikramjit Boparai became the official new owner of 201 S. Main Street at the end of January. Boparai plans to open Arcanum IGA in the former Orme Hardware location, filling the void of a full-service grocery store left by the closing of Sutton’s 86-year-old store in 2020. Boparai registered Arcanum IGA, Inc., with the Ohio Secretary of State on Dec. 8, 2022, and originally reported his wish was to open the grocery store by mid-summer 2023.
To provide an update, Village of Arcanum Mayor Bonnie Millard spoke with The Daily Advocate on June 6, 2023, stating, “… our electrical department changed out the transformers for their requirements. Two or three weeks ago we contacted owner, and he informed us he was waiting on his food prep permit to come through… It is moving a lot slower than we’d like, but this is one of his largest that he has started. I would assume once his permits are in place, movement will really pick up,” said Millard.
Under Boparai, Arcanum IGA plans to offer a small eatery inside the full-service grocery. “We will have deli meat and something like a small cafeteria, so people can sit in there and eat food, drink a coffee or something like that,” he said in February interview with The Daily Advocate, adding, “…hopefully we will have fuel—gas and diesel—along with the grocery store.”
Boparai told The Daily Advocate on June 19, “We are still waiting for the liquor permit… we already paid the fees and everything, and we’re just waiting on [the process]… We want to have everything available under one roof.”
Boparai explained the construction is still ongoing as well as time-consuming with a busy construction company and the processing of permits, etc. “Turning an empty store into a grocery store [with a full kitchen] takes a lot of time,” said Boparai. “There have to be permits; there have to be inspections,” he said. “Honestly, we are very excited and hope to open quickly, but sometimes we have to be bound with time,” Boparai concluded.
A search for liquor licenses revealed Arcanum IGA C-1, C-2, and D-6 licenses pending as of June 19, 2023, where com.ohio.gov details the C-1 permit allows for carryout only beer sales until 1am; the C-2 allows for carryout only sales of wine and pre-packaged, low proof mixed beverages until 1 am; and a D-6 permit is required for Sunday sales of intoxicating liquor (everything other than beer). A D-6 permit cannot be issued as a standalone permit. In other words, you must have an issued permit like a C-2 (wine and pre-packaged low proof mixed beverages for carryout) or D-2 (same products as the C-2 except for on-premises consumption) that allows for the Monday through Saturday sale of wine, mixed beverages, or spirits before a D-6 can be issued.
According to the Department of Commerce’s “How to Apply For a Liquor Permit” document, following the completion of the application and payment of fees, a notice is sent to the local legislative authority and police department. A Division compliance officer makes a physical inspection of the premises and surveys for any churches, schools, playgrounds, libraries, or township parks within 500 feet for notification of their right to object if applicable. Verification of “wet/dry” status of location via the county Board of Elections. A hearing will be held if there have been any objections by the legislative body or public institutions. If no hearing is requested and no adverse information is discovered, the permit could be issued within ten to 12 weeks but no sooner than 15 days for the application filing date. If a hearing is held and objections are overruled, the legislative body may file an appeal within 30 days of the order, but public institutions do not have the right to appeal. If objections are sustained, the applicant may file an appeal within 30 days. A permit cannot be issued until all administrative and legal remedies have been exhausted.
A search for the status of Arcanum IGA food licens(s) did not immediately produce results at agri.ohio.gov.
Reach Daily Advocate Reporter Dawn Hatfield at [email protected] or 937-569-0066.
